Hash Brown Quiche

This dish is one of my go to meals whenever I don't feel like slaving away over the stove. It is so easy because the crust is frozen hash browns and I always seem to have all the ingredients on hand. We usually have it for dinner but it would be a perfect breakfast dish. Surprisingly this is one my 3 year olds favorite meals. He eats every bite and usually wants seconds. (I don't know why it won't let me change the font size...)

Hash Brown Quiche

3 cups frozen loose-pack shredded hash browns, thawed

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 cup diced fully cooked ham

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

¼ cup diced green pepper

2 eggs

½ cup milk

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

Press hash browns between paper towel to remove excess moisture. Press into the bottom and sides of an ungreased 9-in. pie plate. Drizzle with butter. Bake at 425 for 25 min. combine ham, cheese, and green pepper; spoon over crust. In a small bowl, beat eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Pour over all. Reduce heat to 350; bake for 25-30 min. or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Stand for 10 minutes before cutting.`

Cream Cheese Chicken-Elise's

Here a few yummy recipes from my friend Elise. I was so excited to see her meat loaf recipe because my husband Landon loves meat loaf but I have yet to find a recipe that I like. I can't wait to try it! She was so great and sent me a ton of recipes so I will be posting them here and there when I get a chance.

Cream Cheese Chicken

4 or 5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup (1 cube) butter

1 envelope Good Seasonings Italian Dressing Mix

1 10 3/4oz. can cream of chicken soup

1 8oz. package of cream cheese

rotini noodles or white rice (depending on which way you cook it)

First variation - saucepan:

Brown chicken, set aside. In a large saucepan or frying pan, melt butter and seasoning. Add soup and cream cheese. Stir until melted. Add chicken and simmer for 45 minutes until chicken is done. Serve over noodles.

Second variation - Crock Pot:

Place chicken evenly on bottom of crock pot. Drop cube of butter on top (you do not need to melt it). Shake seasonings packet over the chicken and butter. Cook on low for 5 hours or high for 3 hours. Shred chicken with two forks while stirring mixture around. Add soup & cream cheese and let melt for about 10 minutes in crock pot. Stir all together and serve over rice.

Meat-loaf-Elise's

Meat-loaf

Preheat oven to 375

In a large bowl mix together:

2 lbs. lean ground beef

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 packets (.98 oz. each) instant oatmeal, regular flavor (or 3/4 cup quick oats)

2 large eggs

3/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup low-fat milk

2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. salt

Divide mixture into 8 equal servings and shape into mini loaves. Put the loaves in a 9 x 13" baking pan

In a small separate bowl prepare the glaze

Mix 1/3 cup ketchup and 3 Tbs light-brown sugar. (I always put in more brown sugar than it says)

Brush glaze onto the sides and top of the meat loaves.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 160F when inserted into the center of the loaves. Let cool 10 minutes.

If you aren't going to serve all eight servings, you can freeze the extra ones. Cool the meat loaves and then individually wrap the loaves in plastic wrap or waxed paper and freeze. To reheat put the frozen meat loaves in the refrigerator overnight. Unwrap and bake 15 minutes @ 350 or microwave until heated through.

Baked Ziti-Elise's

Baked Ziti

8 oz. dry ziti pasta

1 jar (1lb. 10oz.) 3 Cheese Prego spaghetti sauce

2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese

1 c. shredded parmesan cheese

15 oz. ricotta cheese

1 egg

2 tsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. dried basil

1/2 tsp. pepper

olive oil

optional: browned sausage or ground beef to add to the sauce

Boil ziti noodles until soft, drain and moisten with olive oil to keep from sticking. In a separate bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg, parsley, basil, and pepper. In a 2 1/2 qt. (I used a 9x13) casserole dish, layer a small amount of sauce, a flat layer of noodles, some ricotta cheese mixture, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Repeat layering process until ingredients or space runs out. Last layer should be any leftover sauce sprinkled with a little mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until bubbly around edges.

Crunchy Romaine Strawberry Salad

I was looking on my computer for some saved recipes I had and I came across this recipe 3 different times.  As in, I had typed it up and saved it three different times forgetting that I had already typed it up before. Obviously this recipe is good enough for me to want to save it and type it up several times. This is a really great crowd pleaser too.  It looks so fresh and colorful with the green leaves and bright red strawberries.  I love the sweet and savory contrast you get with each bite you take. *This recipe came from a Taste of Home magazine where it had one first prize in a salad recipe contest.

Crunchy Romaine Strawberry Salad

Ingredients:

1 package (3 ounces) ramen noodles

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

8 cups torn romaine

1/2 cup chopped green onions

2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

Directions:

Discard seasoning packet from ramen noodles or save for another use. Break noodles into small pieces. In a small skillet, saute noodles and walnuts in butter for 8-10 minutes or until golden; cool.

    For dressing, in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the oil, sugar, vinegar and soy sauce; shake well. Just before serving combine the romaine, onions, strawberries and noodle mixture in a large bowl. Drizzle with dressing and toss gently. Yield: 12 servings.

Cafe Rio Salad

This is one of my all time favorite recipes.  It takes a little bit of work but it is so worth it.  We tend to have leftovers for a few days and even though I am not a huge fan of leftovers this meal tastes better the longer it sits in the fridge (but not too long...).

Cafe Rio Salad

Chicken:


1 small bottle zetsy Italian dressing


1 T chili powder


1 T cumin


3 cloves of garlic


5 lbs chicken (about 3 large chicken breasts)



Add everything in a crockpot and cook for 4 hours. Shred chicken and then cook 1 more hour.



 

Rice:


3 cups water


4 tsp chicken boullion


4 tsp minced garlic


1/2 bunch cilantro


1 can green chiles


1/4 tsp salt


1 T butter


1/2 onion


3 cups minute rice (or 1 1/4 cups regular)



Blend cilantro, onions, garlic and chiles in a food processor. Boil water, add all ingredients. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To make Salad:

Layer:
A tortilla (melt cheese on top), chicken, rice, beans, salad greens, add any salad toppings you wish, like olives, tomatoes, cheese, and dressing. You can put tortilla chips on top, or cut corn tortillas into thin strips and bake them until they're crispy--like at the restaurant.

 

Café Rio Salad Dressing

 

1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix


1 c. mayonnaise


1/2 c. buttermilk (or 1/2 c. canned milk)


1 c. chopped cilantro


1 c. Herdez salsa verde


2 cloves garlic, minced


1 small can green chilies


1 small can jalapenos (add to taste)


crushed red pepper (add to taste)



Blend first 7 ingredients in blender. Add jalapeno and red pepper to taste. Makes one quart. Keeps in refrigerator up to 1 1/2 weeks

Mediterranean Bulgur and Lentils-Katie's

This recipe comes from my cute friend Katie. It reminds of something my all time favorite chef Ina Garten would make, and it cooks in the crock pot! This is what she has to say about it:

This recipe is delicious! It has whole grains and it tastes very mild (except for the feta cheese). Don't let the bulgur wheat scare you away. It is essentially cracked and toasted hard winter wheat (very good for you). You can find it in most grocery stores. I like Bob's Red Mill brand or you can get it in bulk at health food stores.

Mediterranean Bulgur and Lentils

Prep time-15 minutes. Start to finish 3 hours 30 minutes. 8 main dish servings (I usually make this for the two of us and we eat it for two meals).

1 cup uncooked Bulgur wheat or cracked wheat 

½ cup Lentils sorted and rinsed

1 teaspoon ground Cumin

¼ teaspoon salt

3 cloves Garlic, finely chopped

1 can (15.25oz) whole kernel Corn, drained

2 cans (14 oz each) Vegetable or Chicken broth

2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 1.5 cups)

½ cup chopped Kalamata Olives*

1 cup reduced fat Feta Cheese (4 oz)**

 

 *I am not a fan of kalamata olives, so I just use normal black olives. Still tastes delicious.

**In my opinion, the feta makes the dish, so if you don't like feta, this one is not for you.

 

 1. In a 3-4 quart slow cooker, mix all ingredients except tomatoes, olives and cheese.

2. Cover cook on low heat setting 3-4 hours or until Lentils are tender.

3. Stir in tomatoes and olives. Top with cheese.

1 serving: 210 calories (calories from fat 35) Total fat 4 grams ( Saturated fat 1.5 g. Trans fat 0g.) Cholesterol 0mg., Sodium 880 mg, Total Carbohydrate 33g (dietary fiber 7g. Sugars 4g.) Protein 10g. % Daily Value Vitamin A 20%, Vitamin C 8%, Calcium 8%, Iron 15%. Exchanges: 2 Starch, ½ very lean meat, ½ fat. Carbohydrate Choices: 2

Courtesy Whole Grains: Easy Everyday Recipes, The  Betty Crocker Library, published by Wiley Publishing, 2007